Demon Hunt
by Vaelliance
Summary: The Demon King Akashi Seijuuro is set to take over the world. The kingdom of Seirin decides to send a warrior, Kagami Taiga to put an end to The Demon King. However, the warrior meets a strange priest, Kuroko Testsuya and discovers that there's more about Akashi than the Demon King that he is. Will he really be able to stop Akashi from taking over the world? mainly AkaKuro
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did, it'd be full of AkaKuro and AoKise.

* * *

PROLOGUE

The council members urgently walked inside the throne room where their Queen, Aida Riko sat on her golden chair. They stopped a meter away from the steps of the platform she was on, formed into a neat line then politely bowed down their heads.

"Your Majesty," one of the council members who stood in the middle among the others started. "We heard that the mighty kingdom of Rakuzan has fallen into the hands of the Demon King. Our people, especially the ones at the borders, are starting to worry."

"That even the kingdom of Rakuzan which has the most powerful military force has fallen under the Demon King's force," another member of the council added. "We're worried that when the time the Demon King sets eyes on us comes, we might not be able to fend him off!"

The council members all looked at Queen Riko with identical worried expressions. "Your Majesty, what should we do?"

Queen Riko just stared at them for a second before looking up at her knight, Hyuuga Junpei, who stood on her left. "Hyuuga, what do you think about this?"

Hyuuga frowned at the thought of the problem. And should the Queen really ask him for his opinion? As a lowly knight, she shouldn't really listen to him. But first of all, why must he express an opinion? "We might as well attack him first before he attacks us." He stated the first thing that came to mind.

Queen Riko nodded her head then turned back to the council. "Call upon all of the strong warriors within the country. Gather them all here in the capital within ten days."

One of the council members showed a disapproving expression and asked. "Are we really going to attack him first with an army?"

"No." The Queen quickly replied and her knight shot her a questioning look. "That would be unwise especially because we don't have detailed intel about the Demon King." She explained. "If we send an army, I'm afraid they might only end up getting wiped out. So I want to gather all warriors and make them fight until only the strongest of them remains. Then we'll send that warrior to the Demon King for information."

* * *

A/N: .. This is really short. Anyway, this is my first fanfic ever so I'm honestly not very confident about this. Forgive me for any mistakes!


	2. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did, it'd be full of AkaKuro and AoKise.

* * *

CHAPTER 1

With a final slash at his opponent, Kagami Taiga became the strongest warrior of the kingdom of Seirin. He proudly raised both arms up in the air as a sign of his victory as the whole arena filled with cheering and screaming. He basked in it, enjoyed it. He was the strongest.

The arena fell into silence when the Queen herself had gone down to Kagami with her knight. She ran her eyes at the back of the champion in front of her, measuring him up. _He's huge_, she thought as the height of the man overshadowed her. Based on his build and standing position, she could tell that this man was strong. She smiled to herself.

Feeling someone's presence behind him, Kagami turned around and was slightly surprised at the sight of the Queen in front of him. He straightened up his posture and looked at the Queen in the eyes nervously as he waited for her to speak.

"Get down on your knees, warrior." It was the Queen's knight, Hyuuga, who spoke up in a voice low enough for only Kagami and those close around them could hear.

Kagami did as he was told and kneeled on one knee to the ground with his head respectfully bowed down. He glanced up at the knight who stared at him then to the Queen who smiled at him. Then, he waited again.

Queen Riko glanced at Hyuuga then he drew out his sword and presented it to her with both hands. She took the sword from him and raised it then gently tapped it on Kagami's shoulder. "For coming out the champion of the battle royale, I now announce you the hero who will bring down the Demon King." She said in a loud voice for all in the arena to hear her. "Go and bring to us the head of the Demon King so that peace may be among us again." She gently tapped the sword to the other shoulder then raised it.

Honestly, Kagami forgot that he was fighting in the battle to be the hero to slay the Demon King. He got too caught up in it and in the sweetness of his victory and in coming out the champion, in other words the strongest, that he totally forgot the point of it all. He only remembered when the Queen had announced him the hero and gave him her blessings.

After the Queen's speech, Kagami got up to his feet and grinned at Her Majesty with determination. "I will gladly present him to you, Your Majesty." He replied.

He didn't have any interest in the Demon King himself actually. Nor did he hold any grudge against him. It's just that, if he successfully killed the Demon King and be the hero of the world itself, wouldn't he become the strongest warrior of the world? Not just his country, Seirin, but the world! He licked his lips at the thought of it. He could already taste the glory he would soon get a hold of.

Queen Riko looked at Hyuuga and returned to him his sword before nodding to him once then turning away to go back to her palace.

Hyuuga looked at Kagami as he sheathed his sword back to its scabbard while saying, "Her Majesty still has things to discuss with you about the slaying of the Demon King. Please come to the throne room after you've cleaned up." And without waiting for a reply, he turned away to follow after the Queen.

* * *

Kagami approached the knight guarding the doors of the throne room with his usually glaring red eyes. "The Queen summoned me." He told the guard.

"Err…" The guard looked up at him while trying to hide his intimidation by the red-haired's height. "Please state your name." He almost stuttered.

"Kagami Taiga. I'm the champion of Her Majesty's battle royale." He said the last sentence just in case the Queen didn't know his name.

"Please wait a moment." The guard said and went inside the throne room. He came back out a minute later, leaving the door of the throne room open. "Please go inside."

The red-haired uttered a small "Thanks." to the guard before proceeding inside the throne room.

Inside, Queen Riko was sitting on her throne as always with Hyuuga to her left, as always. Kagami walked on the red carpet leading to Her Majesty and stopped at the foot of the platform the Queen was always on then bowed his head.

"First of all," Queen Riko started. "Congratulations on winning the battle royale, Kagami-kun. You are undeniably very strong." She smiled widely at him.

"Thank you very much." Kagami replied stiffly and nervously. He didn't really know why, but the way the Queen smiled at him made him nervous.

Queen Riko clapped her hands together as she said, "Now then, let's talk about your journey towards the Demon King. Kagami-kun, I want you to keep in contact with me while searching for him so please, send letters to me once a week. You must tell me any information you get about the Demon King no matter how trivial it might seem to be."

Kagami nodded in understanding. "Yes."

"When you finally find him, please don't just charge at him recklessly. You must tell me first so I can send you reinforcements. You must understand that he is very dangerous and fighting him alone might cost you your life. And while you wait for reinforcements, gather more information and note them."

"I understand."

Queen Riko paused to think for any more reminders. "I think that would be all." She muttered to herself before remembering something then grinning at Kagami. "If it so happens that you think you want to quit being a hero, just cast the thought away. You _absolutely_ cannot quit. You will only stop being a hero if you died. Understand?"

That should have been a threat but Kagami only grinned like it wasn't. "Don't worry, I will never quit." Quitting on killing the Demon King would be like quitting on becoming the strongest warrior of the _world_. He would never quit on that.

Pleased with the attitude of the hero in front of her, Queen Riko smiled happily and genuinely. "Good! Off you go and don't you dare bring us disappointment!"

* * *

A/N: Aaaand Kagami's adventure begins ! I feel that the characters here are kind of OOC but I've written them according to how I see them. I hope you like it so far ! Forgive me for any mistakes.


	3. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did, it'd be full of AkaKuro and AoKise.

* * *

CHAPTER 2

"From what we currently know, the Demon King is named Akashi Seijuuro. It was only about a few years ago that he started attacking villages and taking them over. The very first kingdom that he's conquered was Teikou, and now it's become a country filled with demons. Rakuzan has also fallen to him and he should currently be staying there."

Kagami's eyebrows twitched as he continued to listen to Hyuuga babble on about the Demon King as they rode on their horses through a path within a forest. He had finally started on his journey to slay the Demon King and yet here he was, riding a horse when he's a warrior with a knight who should've been beside the Queen.

"Is this really okay, Hyuuga-san?" Kagami asked in the middle of Hyuuga's continuous babbles. "Is it really okay for you to leave Her Majesty's side? You are her knight, aren't you?"

Hyuuga stared at red-haired for a moment before smiling to himself. "It's completely fine. Besides, I'll only be with you up to the Eastern District. You'll be accompanied by someone else from there on."

A frown knitted Kagami's eyebrows together at Hyuuga's words. "Why must I be accompanied? I'll be totally fine by myself."

"Just to be safe." Hyuuga replied. "We never know what might happen so it'll be better to have a companion. The ideal plan was to find you a party anyway."

"No thanks." Kagami immediately turned down. "I'm good enough just being by myself."

* * *

When Kagami and Hyuuga finally arrived on a town, they were greeted by chaos. The people around them ran around all over the places, screaming and bumping into one another with panic.

While in confusion, both Kagami and Hyuuga just stood around watching people run their way and some even bumping into them in the process. "Wh- what's going on?" The latter asked no one in particular and the former randomly grabbed a person who was within his reach to answer that question. "What's going on here?" He asked.

"De- demons!" The random passers-by stuttered with evident fear. He struggled out of the red-haired's hold and the said person let him go.

Kagami turned to look at Hyuuga who gave him a questioning look upon meeting his gaze. "What should we do? Should we just ignore the situation here and move on?"

"Idiot!" Hyuuga screamed at him with a hit on his head. "Of course we go and get rid of the demons! You're a hero, remember? Save some lives like a hero should, idiot!"

"Ah, I get it!" Kagami replied resignedly. He looked around to search for the demon that caused such chaos but didn't find it within eyesight. "Should we split up and search for the demon?"

Hyuuga nodded and pointed to the left. "You go that way," he instructed and pointed to the right. "I go this way. Kill the demon on sight if you can. I'll get some local force to help .Let's meet up at the inn after the chaos here has settled down."

Kagami gave Hyuuga a nod then directed his horse to go left. It made it hard for him to get a move on a horse while people were on a stampede so he decided to get down and run against the tide of people. He searched for awhile until finally, when he made a turn at a corner, he saw the demon.

It was like a gigantic centipede with an upper body that looked human but not entirely. It had two huge horns on each side of its head and its eyes were pure black without a glint of light. Its skin was deathly pale and cracked, its lower half that of a centipede.

Some brave warriors and knights were already trying to fight it back but failing miserably. It just whipped its tail around and grabbed at them then crushed them. When it got hit, however, it roared inhumanly and went even more violent.

Kagami drew out his broadsword and was just about to run in to join the fight when a monotonous voice from right beside him had stopped him frozen in place with shock.

"Just fighting it with the sword won't work on it."

He whipped his head to his right with widened red eyes and was met by calm sky blue ones. Just an inch away from him was a man that only barely reached up to his shoulders with a blank expression to his face despite the chaos they were currently in. What surprised him the most was that this man had almost no presence at all. He never noticed him when he was already so close to him.

"You can only defeat a demon with light." The man stated with the same monotonous tone as if he was only talking about the weather.

"Who are you?!" Kagami exclaimed when he finally overcame the shock. He backed away from the teal-haired man and glared at him cautiously.

The man blinked at him, his expression not changing as he replied, "I am Kuroko Tetsuya. Nice to meet you." He even politely bowed his head.

Kagami just stare dazedly at Kuroko until another monstrous roar from the demon had snapped him back to senses. He turned to look at the demon then back at Kuroko. "Did you say that I can only defeat it with light?" He only got a nod as a reply. He then grinned arrogantly and looked at the demon, his hand gripping tightly around his broadsword. "Great." He said and walked to the demon.

Kuroko just watched Kagami head towards the battlefield with two observant sky blue orbs.

In front of the demon, Kagami looked up at it and emitted some light from within himself. As if sensing the light he'd let out, the demon quickly turned to him with a glare and menacingly hissed at him. He's been recognized as an enemy.

Ignoring the other warriors and knights trying to land a hit on its tail, it crawled to Kagami then raised one clawed hand. Its movement was swift when it slashed at him but he was quicker to dodge its attack.

After dodging, he returned the attack with his broadsword and sliced at its arm. It roared as black, sticky liquid started gushing out of its sliced skin then it rained continuous attacks on him. A whip of its tail, a slash from one claw then the other.

Kagami just dodged all of its attacks while strengthening the light that he was emitting. He transferred the light from his body to his sword that his sword started to glow in white light.

When the demon whipped its tail again, Kagami jumped and landed on the tail then rode on it. The demon tried shaking him off but he stabbed his sword on its tail and it roared once again. And while it roared in pain, Kagami drew out his sword and ran up the tail to the line which it was divided from human to centipede. He aimed for that line and swung his broadsword then deeply sliced there.

It let out a loud roar that almost made Kagami deaf before it fell to the ground, lifeless.

From this display, Kuroko's eyes slightly widened and shone. He stared at Kagami's form with the demon fallen at his feet and he whispered to himself, "I've found my light."

* * *

A/N: I find it weird that I'm getting excited over my own story but I think that's a good thing. Anyway, please don't misunderstand. This is still AkaKuro and is one-sided Kagami-Kuroko. I hope you enjoy! Forgive me for any mistakes.


	4. Chapter 3

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did, it'd be full of AkaKuro and AoKise.

* * *

CHAPTER 3

"Kagami!"

The red-haired warrior turned around at the call of his name and saw Hyuuga approaching him with a number of people behind him. When they got nearer, they all looked at the fallen demon and gaped at him.

"You killed it by yourself?" Hyuuga asked, not even hiding the surprise in his voice.

Kagami shrugged and sheathed his sword. "Yeah. It was weak."

Hyuuga smiled, ignoring the warrior's arrogance. What mattered was that the hero that Kagami was was strong. Initially, the hero was only to gather information about the Demon King for the Queen to be able to plan out a way to bring the said demon down. The hero can also be considered as a sacrifice. However, if Kagami was strong enough to survive, he might even be made the general to lead the army to kill the Demon King. Hyuuga couldn't wait to tell his Queen about this.

"Um …" A courageous fellow approached Kagami with an amazed expression. "Could you be the hero that the Queen appointed to kill the Demon King?" He asked.

Kagami blinked at the fellow, remembering that he was now a hero and not just any other ordinary warrior, before grinning arrogantly at the person who asked. "That's right! I will be the one who brings the Demon King down!" He loudly announced that the people around them heard.

The surrounding people gasped when they heard Kagami then whispered to themselves. "Amazing!" the courageous fellow exclaimed, his eyes shining with awe. "You're really strong! If it's you, I'm sure the Demon King will be defeated!"

"That's right!" Kagami replied and laughed. He liked the recognition, for when he'll finally defeat the Demon King and stand as the hero of the world, it'll be easier for him to be known.

Hyuuga just stared at Kagami, wondering if it was alright to announce himself the hero. Realization hit him after some thought that he couldn't help a grin forming on his lips.

It _was_ a very good idea for Kagami to have announced his heroism. Even more people should be told about it! And then, if it got to the Demon King that there's a hero hunting him, the Demon King might send demons to kill Kagami. Then, from those demons, they would gauge out information about the Demon King and they would finally be able to plan an attack! Hyuuga internally laughed with this good idea.

"Oi, Hyuuga!" Kagami called out to the four-eyes who was creepily grinning to himself at the side.

Hyuuga snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Kagami, with his eyebrow twitching at being called by his name _alone._ What happened to the honorifics? "What?" He snappily replied.

"What should we do now? Continue on towards the Eastern District?"

The four-eyed knight looked up at the sky that had already started turning dark, the sun setting on the horizon. "No." he said and looked at Kagami. "Let's stay here for the night. Let's go to the inn and get some food into our stomachs."

"'Kay." Kagami replied then paused. He felt like he was forgetting something. Seeing Hyuuga start walking though made him disregard the feeling and follow after.

* * *

After Kagami and Hyuuga ate dinner, they parted with Hyuuga "going to send a report to Her Majesty". Kagami thought it ridiculous since it hadn't even been a week since they left the palace. It had only been two days.

Having been left alone by himself, Kagami thought of what he should do and decided to go to the nearby tavern to drink some "booze". He excitedly entered the place when he arrived and took a seat at the bar.

"What would you like to have?" A man with a huge belly from behind the bar asked Kagami when he sat down.

"Meat and your strongest liquor." Kagami replied enthusiastically. It used to be that he could only have the cheapest liquor that wasn't strong enough to hit him even after he emptied bottles after bottles of it until he ran out of money. It was different now though. After winning the Queen's battle royale and became the hero, he was given a huge amount of prize money. He wouldn't have to worry about running out of money anymore.

The man served him a plate of meat and a bottle of liquor which Kagami immediately started attacking upon landing in front of him. He was enjoying his food and drink in bliss when a monotonous voice almost choked him from shock.

"Kagami-kun, you're a hero who will slay the Demon King?"

Kagami struggled to swallow the meat that he'd been chewing on then chugged down a glass of his liquor after it and let out a loud exhale. This time, he calmly turned his head to his right where the teal-haired man with his blank expression sat. "How do you know my name?" he asked with a glare.

"I heard your companion call you earlier." Kuroko replied.

Red eyes slightly widened when Kagami realized why he felt like he'd forgotten something earlier when he left the fallen demon with Hyuuga. He'd forgotten about this strange man. "You …!"

"It's Kuroko."

Kagami fell silent before he looked at Kuroko with suspicion. "Who exactly are you?" He asked. This man couldn't be ordinary. Kuroko felt different from all the other people whom he had met before. Another thing was, the teal-haired man had a very weak presence that he couldn't even notice him when the said man was right beside him.

Sky blue orbs just stared at Kagami. Without replying to the red-haired's question, he repeated his own. "Kagami-kun, are you a hero who will slay the Demon King?"

"That's right." Kagami let it pass that Kuroko ignored his question. He grinned at him and stabbed on the remaining meat on his plate as he said, "I'll kill the Demon King and be the strongest warrior of the world!"

"You won't be able to defeat him." Kuroko bluntly threw at Kagami who turned to him with a glare. "The Demon King is very strong. Unimaginably so." He explained. "At your current level, you'd only be utterly crushed by him. It's even more impossible if you try to defeat him alone. That's why," he looked straight into glaring red orbs. "Let me help you. I'll help you defeat the Demon King and make you the strongest warrior of the world."

The two just stared at each other with intensity for a moment before Kagami broke the silence settling in between them. "Why do _you_ want to defeat the Demon King?"

Kuroko didn't reply immediately and had looked down on his intertwined hands on his lap. "The Demon King took someone very important to me." He quietly said.

* * *

A/N: I wanted to make Kagami and Kuroko's talk longer but I don't know what else they should talk about. I also thought that this was going to be a long chapter but ... Forgive me for any mistakes !

Thank you so much for the reviews Arius the Heretic, Ryuuchi Seijuro, R3iga1004, Kurosuchi Rafah, pinkcorpse ! I was so happy with them that I couldn't stop smiling :D I hope you enjoyed this chapter !

Thank you also to those who favorited and followed this story. I am sooo happy ! :D


	5. Chapter 4

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did, it'd be full of AkaKuro and AoKise.

* * *

CHAPTER 4

Hyuuga shoved open the doors of the tavern then looked around to his left and right and spotted a head of red at the bar. He stormed towards the red head with irritation especially because the person who owned that head was clearly passed out probably from drinking too much. And to think that he'd been searching for this drunkard worriedly because he had not returned even after midnight only to find him in the tavern of all places. Hyuuga's blood boiled.

"Oi Kagami!" He let an uncontrolled fist land a strong hit on the red head. Seeing the said person not budge from that hit though, he could literally hear a vein of his popping in anger.

"Excuse me."

Hyuuga snapped his head towards the direction in which the voice came from, his angry glare meeting calm sky blue eyes. He blinked at the man standing so closely beside him and he almost jumped when he realized that someone was _beside_ him. He considered himself someone who had good senses yet he didn't even notice this man. His anger was immediately washed away with surprise.

"You're a companion of Kagami-kun, right?" The man continued on with a blank expression. "I talked with him earlier and I've asked him the same thing. Please let me join your party." He politely bowed his head.

Hyuuga swallowed before opening his mouth to say something while making sure he didn't stutter. "Who are you?" He thanked the gods he didn't sound so shaken.

"I am Kuroko Tetsuya." The man replied. "Nice to meet you."

"Ah, nice to meet you too." Hyuuga couldn't help being polite himself when someone was talking to him like so. "I am Hyuuga Junpei. But what do you mean by joining our party?"

Kuroko tilted his head a little to the side as if in confusion. "You are going to defeat the Demon King, aren't you? I'd like to go with you."

_He must've been around when Kagami, that _idiot_, loudly announced being a hero and defeating the Demon King_, Hyuuga thought. He looked the man up and down to see if he's fit enough to join them. And honestly, Kuroko looked weak in his eyes.

"Uh …" He looked at the questioning gaze of Kuroko and found it rather hard to say no. "Wh- what can you do?" He asked instead.

"I am a priest. I can heal." Kuroko replied, drawing out his staff which he hung on his back.

This time, Hyuuga considered him seriously. If Kuroko was a priest, being physically weak didn't matter. And in truth, within the party that the Queen had set for Kagami to be with, there wasn't any priest. So they actually needed one. "Well…" he started and resigned at the prodding stare of the man. "I guess you can join us temporarily."

Kuroko's eyes slightly widened before he bowed his head to Hyuuga. "Thank you very much."

* * *

When Kagami opened his eyes, he was momentarily blinded by light. He closed them tight for a second before opening them again, slowly this time. He waited for his eyes to get used to the light and when they finally did, he looked around him.

It was the ceiling that first greeted him so he assumed that he was lying down on a bed. There was the open window to his left, beside it a wooden closet. On the wall his feet were facing were a desk and a set of drawers. It was a pretty much average room and he sat up, wondering if he was in the inn. He yawned and then felt a throbbing pain to his temples that made his face scrunch into a frown.

"How are you feeling, Kagami?" Hyuuga's voice reached his ears and he turned to his right where he found the owner of the voice with a wide smile across his lips, sitting on a chair beside the bed.

Kagami had never seen such a smile on Hyuuga's face before that he got curious as to what was making the four-eyes smile that way. "My head's hurting so much." He replied, massaging his temples. This was most probably the result of his drinking too much. Thinking back, he couldn't really remember what happened to him after getting drowsy. How did he get into the inn?

"I see, I see." Hyuuga nodded then smiled even wider at Kagami. "Serves you right, idiot."

That surprised Kagami.

"You know, I got very worried about you last night when you didn't come back to the inn after midnight. So I went to search around the town only to find you in the tavern, drunk and passed out. Not only did I have to pay for your bill, I even had to carry you back because you wouldn't wake up _at all_. I'm very glad to hear that your head is hurting from the hangover." Hyuuga stood up from the chair and headed for the door. "Listen, for worrying and making your companion, me, search around the town for you, I forbid you from drinking any pain killers. You also have to pay me back twice as much the money I paid for your bill. After all, I carried you back, right? Now then," he turned the knob and opened the door then turned back to Kagami with a sweet smile. "Get yourself ready. We're going back to our travel towards the Eastern District." He went out the room and slammed the door close.

Kagami never thought that he'd actually feel fear towards Hyuuga.

* * *

"Oi Hyuuga! …-san." Kagami called out, not forgetting to add honorifics in respect.

Hyuuga turned to Kagami with a pleased smile. He's finally getting the respect he deserves from the idiot warrior. "What is it?"

"I've wanted to ask you this since we've set out," Kagami started. They were back to riding their horses through the forest towards the Eastern District. "But, what is this man doing with us?!" He accusingly pointed at Kuroko who was silently riding his own horse to Kagami's left.

"Ah," Hyuuga glanced at Kuroko before looking back at Kagami. "He's joined the party." He explained. "Among the party that Her Majesty and I have set out, there wasn't a priest. It seems we've forgotten one. So Kuroko's going to be the priest of the party you'll be going with to slay the Demon King.

Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Ha? I told you I don't need a party. I'll be fine by myself."

"You won't be fine alone, Kagami-kun." Kuroko spoke up, the knight and the warrior turning to him. "I told you, didn't I? It's impossible to defeat the Demon King alone."

"Why do you even know that?" Kagami asked.

Kuroko looked down and Kagami saw the slightest hint of sadness in his sky blue eyes. "I've met him before."

"What?!" Both Kagami and Hyuuga exclaimed.

"Wha- wha- what was he like?" Hyuuga stuttered in excitement. He couldn't wait to send another report to the Queen that he's found someone who could provide them information. He thanked the gods, again, that he had not been so foolish as to reject this man from joining them.

"The previous party that I was with was able to meet the Demon King." Kuroko started, his eyes now looking ahead of them dazedly. "Unfortunately, we've made a mistake and ended up…" he trailed off, leaving his sentence hanging.

Kagami and Hyuuga looked at one another for a second and they decided not to push the matter. However, information gathering was a different matter. "Kuroko, can you at least tell us how he fights? What's his weapon? His power?" Hyuuga flooded the teal-haired man with questions.

"Ah!" Kuroko suddenly exclaimed and both Kagami and Hyuuga swallowed in anticipation to hear about the Demon King. "We've arrived at the end of the forest."

* * *

A/N: Here's another short chapter... Forgive me for any mistakes..

Thank you so much for the reviews Aries the Heretic, hitomi65, pinkcorpse ! you guys are helping me a lot with your reviews and I appreciate them :D

Thank you also to those who favorited and followed. I love you all :D


	6. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did, it'd be full of AkaKuro and AoKise.

* * *

CHAPTER 5

Despite finally arriving in their destination, Hyuuga wasn't happy at all. Right at the moment he thought he'd finally get the information he so much wanted, they just had to reach the Eastern District and drop the subject. He wondered when he'd be able to hear about the Demon King from Kuroko again as they strolled along the streets of the district, leading his companions to the other party members he and the Queen had gathered together.

After having walked for minutes, Hyuuga finally stopped in front of a two-storey building that had a flag at the top of it. The flag was in a combination of red and white with a silhouette of a howling wolf at the very center.

"The adventure guild?" Kagami stated questioningly as he looked up at the flag flapping with the wind. He recognized the flag immediately for before he'd participated in the Queen's battle royale, he'd frequent the guild for livelihood purposes, though that was from another area of the kingdom.

Hyuuga looked at Kagami with his normal smile and that relieved the latter. "You must be familiar with the guild, Kagami."

"Well, yeah." Kagami replied. "This is my first time here though."

"Then, let's go in." Hyuuga said excitedly and was about to open the door when he remembered something- or more like, _someone_- and looked around them instead. "Wait, Kagami, where's Kuroko?"

"Huh?" Kagami also looked around them and didn't see the shorter man anywhere near them. "He should've been around here."

"Um…" Kuroko's quiet voice surprised his two companions that they noticeably twitched. "I'm here."

The two swiftly turned to look at Kuroko who was only standing beside Hyuuga and glared at him. "Don't just disappear so suddenly!" Kagami yelled.

The teal-haired man bowed with an apology and Hyuuga sighed tiredly. "Nevermind that." He started with a wave of his hand. "Let's just go on in." He opened the door and stepped inside followed by the other two.

* * *

Hyuuga was respectfully greeted by the receptionist of the guild and they were kindly told, "Kiyoshi-san and the others have not returned yet. Why don't you take a rest at one of our rooms first? I'll inform them that you've arrived when they return."

The whole time, Hyuuga had a polite smile spread along his lips and he nodded at the receptionist as he said, "Very well then."

They were led into one of the rooms and Kagami plopped down tiredly on one of the couches with Kuroko taking a seat beside him. "Hyuuga-san, did you hire people from the guild to form a party with Kagami-kun?"

Hyuuga took a seat on the couch opposite them and had paused midway for a second at Kuroko's question before he relaxed his limbs and answered, "Well yeah. Her Majesty thought that it'd be too dangerous for Kagami to go alone. And I can't really go with him all the way since I have my duties to fulfill so we had to hire some people instead. Don't worry," he immediately added reassuringly. "The people we've hired are top class and won't be a burden to you instead."

"They'd better be." Kagami scoffed and went stiff when he saw Hyuuga smile brightly at him.

"Hyuuga-san, are you a royal knight?" Kuroko bluntly threw at Hyuuga and the latter exposed a surprised expression. Had he forgotten to inform Kuroko of his job? Wait, he'd forgotten to tell Kuroko the details of exactly everything!

"Idiot, he's not just any ordinary royal knight." Kagami said matter-of-factly. "He's the Queen's knight, you know?"

Kuroko's eyes widened and stared at the knight.

"Er…" Hyuuga didn't know what to say so he decided he'd just tell Kuroko the details of Kagami's journey. "Her Majesty got worried when news arrived that Rakuzan has fallen to the Demon King so she decided to send a warrior to slay the Demon King and that warrior's Kagami. That's the reason why he's also known as the hero."

Kagami noticed Kuroko's hands form into fists on his lap but the latter still looked as blank as ever.

"I see." Kuroko uttered. "That explains a lot of things."

Hyuuga realized that this could be his chance to ask about the Demon King again so he immediately grabbed it, his voice louder than usual when he asked, "Kuroko, about the Demon King, please tell me what you-"

The door made a loud sound when it was opened, surprising the three people inside the room. Hyuuga angrily turned to see who had interrupted his interrogation and wasn't appeased at all at the sight of a man with a very wide smile.

"We're here!" He loudly announced as he entered with two other men much shorter than him. "Yo!" He cheerfully greeted Hyuuga's angry glare.

"You idiot!" Hyuuga growled at the man. "Why did you have to come now of all times, Teppei?!"

The man addressed at, Kiyoshi Teppie, ignored Hyuuga and looked at Kagami and Kuroko with amazement. "Oh! Is this the hero everyone's talking about?" He went and looked at the two, from Kagami to Kuroko. "Which one?"

Hyuuga trembled with fury but he calmed himself and went to introduce the warrior and the priest. "This is Kagami Taiga, the champion of Her Majesty's battle royale and the hero you're talking about. Then this is Kuroko Tetsuya, a priest."

Kagami didn't say anything while Kuroko bowed his head with a, "It's nice to meet you."

Hyuuga turned to the two to introduce the other members of the party. "This is Kiyoshi Teppei. He's very strange but he can be reliable. These are Shun Izuki," he indicated to the shortest of the three who just came in, "and Mitobe Rinnosuke."

Izuki grinned at them, greeting them with a "Yo!" while Mitobe just smiled.

"Teppei and Mitobe are knights while Izuki is an archer." Hyuuga added.

Looking at all of them finally together, Hyuuga couldn't help but smile. Finally, the real journey begun.

* * *

A/N: I... I don't know how to write Izuki's jokes. So... no jokes for him. Have a fun read ! Please review !

Thank you for the tips pinkcorpse, an the reviews Kurosuchi Rafah and Imbored :D

Thank you also for those who followed and favorited this story. I love all of you :D


	7. Chapter 6

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke. If I did, it'd be full of AkaKuro and AoKise.

* * *

CHAPTER 6

"I can't believe we're really going to go slay the Demon King!" Izuki exclaimed, sitting down on the couch opposite Kagami and Kuroko with Kiyoshi and Mitobe. Hyuuga transferred to a seat beside the teal-haired. "It's always been just a childhood dream. But now, we're really doing it!"

"That's right!" Kiyoshi chuckled, taking out a pack of candies from his pocket and opened it. "People are always trying to slay the Demon King, even in the past up to now. It'd be exciting if we're the ones to put an end to him!"

Mitobe only nodded.

"Idiots." Kagami said and everyone looked at him when he stood up. "I'll be the one to slay him, that's for sure!" He declared. Hyuuga pulled him back down to sit.

"But he's really strong, you know." Izuki leaned in to Kagami, his expression serious. "There was this party from Teikou that was very famous because every single one of their members was unbelievably strong."

Everyone looked at Izuki attentively with interest clear in their eyes. Kuroko's sky blue eyes, however, had widened at the mention of Teikou, his hands balling into fists.

"They were so strong that the people started calling them the Miracle party. They were able to help various people fight this and that and had even kicked an official from his position in Teikou. And a few months ago, they finally decided to go try their strength to slaying the Demon King. But ever since then, they've never been heard of again."

The atmosphere became heavy with silence until Kagami snorted. "Maybe they weren't so strong after all."

"Don't say that, Kagami." Hyuuga seriously said with an expression to match. "They were really very strong that they were known all over the continent."

Izuki sighed as he leaned against the back of the couch. "I wonder how we'll do against the Demon King."

There was a tense silence again.

"Let us not give up." It was Kuroko's quiet voice that broke the silence this time, attracting the others' eyes to him. "If we do everything together without any mistake, I'm sure we'll be able defeat him." The determination that was clear in Kuroko's eyes even if he had a blank expression like always moved everyone and the tense atmosphere slowly dissipated.

"That's the spirit!" Kiyoshi exclaimed and they all relaxed into smiles.

And as Hyuuga started feeling at ease, a realization hit him.

* * *

That night, the party decided to have a little feast, for the next day, Hyuuga would already go back to the palace while the others would already start heading towards the Demon King.

Kagami emptied plates after plates of meat and glasses after glasses of liquor. Kiyoshi, Izuki and Mitobe gaped at him as they watched him while Hyuuga scolded him for taking in too much and Kuroko just sipped on his vanilla milkshake.

After the others had started to feel drowsy, Hyuuga approached Kuroko with his usual smile. "Kuroko, can I talk to you for a bit?" He asked.

Kuroko had refused any liquor and was sober just like Hyuuga. He had proudly displayed how he doesn't get drunk easily by competing with the others earlier. The teal-haired nodded and they both went out to the balcony without anyone to disturb them this time.

"Kuroko, you mentioned that the previous party you were with went to slay the Demon King, didn't you?" Hyuuga started and received a nod from the other. So he continued, "Could it be that you were one of the members of the Miracle?"

Kuroko fell silent and Hyuuga patiently waited. It felt like minutes had already passed them by and Hyuuga was already about to give up on getting an answer although he knew it already when Kuroko opened his mouth and replied. "Yes. But please don't misunderstand." He quickly added. "I'm not like the others. I'm not strong like them."

"I understand. But since you're alive and well, the others must also be?"

Kuroko looked down, sadness filling in his sky blue eyes. "That I cannot answer." He simply said.

Hyuuga slightly felt panicked at the sight of Kuroko's sadness. "Ah, I- I see." He cleared his throat and changed into a cheerful tone. "Well, you can still tell me about the Demon King, right? Like how he fights, what're his weapons or techniques, what're his abilities?"

"Ah, I'm not really sure about those." Kuroko replied and Hyuuga couldn't deny the disappointed feeling in his chest. "But one thing's for sure. He's filled with darkness. That's why a person like Kagami-kun who is filled with light is needed to defeat him."

A relieved smile crept up to Hyuuga's lips as he said, "Then, I'm glad he's our hero."

* * *

After having a drinking contest with Hyuuga and the others, Kagami was feeling rather drowsy and wanted to cool his head. He never thought that the four-eyes was an even greater drinker than he was.

He headed to the balcony and had already opened the door before he noticed Hyuuga and Kuroko talking there. He was going to go approach them but they were talking about some serious stuff. And he _accidentally_ listened to all of it.

* * *

After feasting the night away, the party decided that they should turn in for the night. They still had their own journeys to take the day after and needed their rest. Kuroko and Kagami were given a separate room from the others so there was only the two of them in a room.

While preparing to go to sleep, Kagami couldn't take out in his mind the matter he heard from Kuroko and Hyuuga when they talked. He was feeling rather disturbed or maybe curious and he was itching to ask Kuroko something.

Unable to take it anymore, he turned to Kuroko who raised a hand at him and said, "Goodnight, Kagami-kun."

A vein of Kagami popped at that and he stood in front the other, his expression serious. The teal-haired looked like he's waiting for Kagami to speak so he did, "Kuroko, you… you were a part of that Miracle party?"

Kuroko looked surprised but it passed only after a few seconds. "That's right."

"Izuki…san said that they're really strong. If you are to compare me to them now, how would I do?"

"You'll be crushed right away." Kuroko bluntly replied and that pissed Kagami off. "That is why I'll help you. I'll help you get stronger than them. I'll help you defeat the Demon King."

* * *

Kagami and the others stood opposite to Hyuuga, the latter holding unto his mount and luggage. The sun had already risen high thus about time for him to leave the party and go back to his Queen's side.

"Take care, Hyuuga!" Izuki was the first to say followed by Kiyoshi's, "Tell Riko that we'll definitely put an end to the Demon King."

"Don't call her by her name alone so casually, Teppei!" Hyuuga scolded but still smiled right after. "You guys take care too. Be careful not to lose your head."

"Ugh, don't jinx it." Izuki muttered and Mitobe nodded in agreement.

"Be careful on your way, Hyuuga-san." Kuroko said with his usual polite bowl.

Kagami stepped forward and looked at Hyuuga with a newfound determination. "Hyuuga-san!" He called out loudly even though the person he was addressing to was already close in front of him. "Tell Her Majesty that I'll definitely bring her the head of the Demon King… please."

Hyuuga chuckled and nodded at Kagami. "I will."

After bidding farewell, Hyuuga mounted his horse and left the party.

* * *

A/N: This one feels rushed... Here's another one , Enjoy !


End file.
